Display device



June 15, 1937. zlMMERMAN 2,083,973

DISPLAY DEVICE Filed March 20, 1933 2 Sheets- Sheet l 23 INVENTOR ler'g/H. Z immerman WfZM ATTORNEY DISPLAY DEVICE Filed March 20, 1933 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR If 1! BY 79] H. Zt'mmefma/z ATTORN EY PatentedJune 15, 1937 UNlTED i1 OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in display devices.

One object of the invention is to provide a display device for use infruit or grocery stores, for example, for displaying fruit or vegetablessuch as apples, oranges or the like, in pyramidal or semi-pyramidalform, which device renders the stacking of the fruit in such form veryconvenient, requiring less skill and fruit or articles I stacked than asolid pyramid formed thereof, and

which can be transported or moved from place to place as desired withoutdisplacing the stacked articles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a display device uponwhich spherical articles of fruit, for example, can be stacked inpyramidal or semi-pyramidal form over the face of the device which isprovided with angular supporting shelf so disposed as to cause thespherical articles placed thereon to converge at the apex in simulationof a solid pyramidal stack of such articles.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a display devicehaving a plurality of supporting panels, flanges, and a shelf which can5 be formed largely from a, single sheet of material, such as cardboardor sheet metal, for example, conforming strictly to the proportions of aparallelogram having opposing angles of 60 degrees and 120 degrees andbeing in fact two equilateral triangles having one side in common.

A further object is to provide display devices which may be used singlyor in combinations and which, when not in use, or during shipment, maybe stacked or nested together in a minimum storage space.

Other objects relate to various features of construction and arrangementof parts which will be apparent from a consideration of the followingspecification and accompanying drawings,

wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation of a display device embodying thepresent improvements,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device,

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a development illustrating the manner of cutting and foldinga single sheet of material in forming the device, and

Figure 5 ilrastrates two of the display devices secured together back toback to provide a complete pyramid. s

In the drawings, the device comprises a central polygonal panel Ill andtwo right triangular panels II and I2. The margins I3 of the panel I0converge at their upper ends in the apex of the device, while the edgesI4 converge at the point I5 as shown clearly in Figure 1.

The panel Ill as shown in Figure l, comprises in effect two righttriangles having coincident hypotenuses indicated by the line Illa.

The panels II and I2 have corners Ila. and IZa forming angles of degreesin the form of the invention illustrated. The side panels II and I2 aredisposed on angles of degrees with respect to the plane of the panelIEI. This particular 16 angularity of the side panels II and I2 effectsthe disposition of the rear edges IIb and lZbof the panels II and I2respectively in a vertical plane when the device rests on the edges I I0and I20 on a horizontal support I6.

The panels II and I2 are provided with rear flanges I! and I8 which maybe provided with openings I9 either for receiving screws and bolts forsecuring the device to a wall or for securing two of the devicestogether as shown in Figure 20 5 and as will be more fully describedhereinafter.

A shelf 29 extending forwardly approximately at right angles to theplane of the respective panels is formed integrally therewith along the25 lower edge of the panels and follows the angular disposition of theside panels I I and I2 as shown in Figure 2. Fruit, such as oranges orapples, or other like commodities may be placed on the shelf 20 inregular formation as indicated in 30 dotted circles in Figure l, torepresent a portion of the pyramid of such articles. The fruit is placedin successive layers on the device and due to the particular angulardisposition of the shelf with respect to the flanges I1 and I8, thefruit, 35 if substantially uniform in size, can be disposed in layers ofdecreasing length and will converge at the top in simulation of a solidstack of such fruit. The device may be provided with two upwardlyprojecting members 2| electric welded 40 to the back of the device asshown in Figure 1, to provide a clip open at the top for receiving a,price card 22, if desired.

As shown in Figure 4 the device can be formed almost entirely of asingle sheet of metal. Thus 45 the flanges I1 and I8 are formed bybending the metal upwardly along the lines Na and Wu and the shelf 20 isformed by bending the metal upwardly along the lines 20a. The shelfmaterial 20 is slit at 201), 20c and 20d to accommodate 50 the angulardisposition of the contiguous portions of the shelf.

In Figure 1 small patches 23, 24 are shown covering the V-shaped openingformed at the slits 20b and 20d. The slit 200 shown in Figure 55 4 isself closing in that the point c of the shelf is bent over the adjacentportion of the shelf and secured thereto. Similarly at the juncture ofthe shelf and the flanges I1 and I8, portions 20 and 20g of the shelvesmay be bent to overlie a side of the respective flange and secured tothe same. In securing the various parts together, spot welding ispreferably used, but any other suitable means of attachment, such asriveting, may of course be employed.

The display device may be used singly as indicated in Figures 1 and 2,and may rest on a plane surface in inclined position as indicated inFigure 3. If desired, the device may rest with the lower portion of thecentral panel [0 extending beyond the edge of the shelf 16 as shown inFigure 1, or the edges Hc, I20 may be sup ported above a horizontalsurface with the flanges I1 and [8 vertical and edge l5 resting on thesurface as suggested in Figure 5. If desired the device may be attachedto a wall by screws through upper openings IS in flanges l1 and I8.

Even when loaded with fruit, the device can be moved from place to placewithout dislodging the fruit, as will be seen.

Two of the devices shown in Figure 1 may be secured back to back asillustrated in Figure 5 by means of bolts which pass through theopenings l9 previously referred to. It is preferred to use small spacers26 on the bolts between the flanges to space the same slightly apart.This permits the fruit, for example, to project over the flanges l1 andI8 slightly, without crowding, in the same manner that the fruit mayproject beyond the flanges I! and l 8 slightly when a single device isemployed.

When two of the devices are secured together as shown in Figure 5, theymay rest upon the corners l5 and be held in stable relation byintermediate supporting members 21 such as small cans of canned goods,for example, or they may be supported or suspended by brackets or othersuitable means.

It will be seen that the display device facilitates the stacking offruit or like products in pyramidal or semi-pyramidalform, but requiringless skill and fruit than would a solid stack of the same, and withoutimposing the entire weight of the super-imposed fruit on the lowerlayers thereof.

The device may be mounted also on a supporting panel of material orcardboard 28 as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1, and be hung on awall or otherwise suspended. The panel 28 could, of course, be utilizedfor carrying printed advertising matter.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention forthe purpose of illustration, I do not wish to be restricted theretoexcept as so limited by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A display device comprising a central upwardly inclined quadrilateralpanel having a V- shaped lower edge and composed of two right triangleshaving a common hypotenuse, a triangular shaped side panel extendingrearwardly from each inclined side edge of said central panel, sideflanges on the free inclined edges of said side panels extendingsubstantially at right angles to the planes of the respective sidepanels, and a V-shaped shelf extending outwardly from the base of saidcentral panel and having extensions along the bases of said side panelsfor supporting articles stacked upon the surfaces of said panels.

2. A display device for substantially spherical articles comprising acentral upwardly inclined quadrilateral panel formed of two righttriangles having a common hypotenuse, two right triangular panelsextending rearwardly from the inclined edges of said central panel andeach having the side edges thereof merging in the apex of said centralpanel, outwardly extending flanges on the inclined free edges of saidside panels, and a continuous shelf at the bases of said panelsconforming to the angular disposition of said bases for supportingarticles stacked on the outer faces of said panels.

LEROY H. ZIMMERMAN.

